Briefing on Biooil/Biochar Study and DEMOs 05/28/2009 Gabe Dumm & Jim Archuleta Umpquya National Forest

Study Name is Sustainable forest bioenergy production using in-woods fast- pyrolysis conversion including bio- oil production and bio-char incorporation

Umpqua Perspective How did this Idea Start ? Diamond Lake RD Wildlife Program Desired to improve soil productivity –Big Game Food Plots Improvements via Terra Preta de indio –Human created soil >1000yrs ago –Developed in Amazon Basin Still nutrient stable Sold as bagged topsoil

Study Cooperators Rocky Mountain Research Station –Primary Investigator, Soil Nutrient Response Renewable Oil International, LLC –BioOil/BioChar Production University of Idaho (Intermountain Forest Tree Nutrition Cooperative) –Soil Nutrient Response University of Montana –Forest Operations (Economics) and Transportation Umpqua NF –Provides Site, Feedstock, and Grinding

FS Most Prescribed Platform Forest Service Fuels Reduction Projects Output is cogeneration energy –Often discounted if Biomass transport exceeds certain mileage

Platform Proposed by Bio-Oil/Bio-Char Study on the Umpqua NF In-Woods BioOil Production= Reduced Transport cost

Study Objectives – Publish Comparison of Economic Feasibility: A Fixed Centralized Pyrolysis Plant Photo from Dynamotive Energy Systems In-Woods Mobile Biomass Pyrolysis Plant Photo from Renewable Oil Inc.

Study Objectives – Publish Impact of BioChar Amendments on Forest: Compare to biomass removal to fell-and-leave Photos from International Biochar Initiative website

Application of Biochar within LTSP DL RD – Umpqua NF 04/2009

Pyrolysis Feedstock Requirements Moisture Content ~10 Moisture –Assumed Achievement – via Field Drying Currently practiced for Burning Slash Piles 6 months to 1 year Demo will employ Dryer to ensure moisture content Size –Must be ground to 1/16th to 1/8th on one face after moisture requirement is met

Characteristics of Fast Pyrolysis Rapid heating of the biomass –1000 o F per second –Absence of Oxygen in a Closed System Rapid condensation of the vapors into BioOil Solid product of BioChar

BioOil Product Usage BioOil Product is comparable with Bunker Fuel –1 Ton of Slash = 120 Gallons of BioOil BioOil - refinement possible to #2 Diesel –Fischer-Tropsch Process or Blending *Biooil is heavier than water –Spill clean up may be an issue in water

BioChar Product Usage Both a viable Soil Amendment and Avenue of Carbon Sequestration –1 Ton of Slash = ¼ Ton of BioChar –Literature indicates promotion of soil productivity *Soil productivity may not be increased on all soil types –Product may be comparable to Horticultural Charcoal Assumption of many –Charcoal in the soil is a stable form of carbon –Carbon sequestration in the soil is less susceptible to wildfire loss (Cornell Univ)

Schedule of Study's Actions Completed Activities –Planning & Economic data collection –Plan Field Studies Pending Activities for 2009 –Spring/Summer –Biochar Delivered –Installed Field Study, with initial measurements taken –Economic analysis continues –Aug 18 th 19 th 22 nd and 26th – Portable Pyrolysis demonstrations –Outreach info on pyrolysis unit design and economics, annual accomplishment report –Post-treatment Measurements –Begin to prepare report, assure study design is archived for future research Pending Activity for 2010 –Final report

Site Locations

Implications of Fast Pyrolysis to Land Management Landscape Scale Fuels projects are: –Costly –$1000/ac to Plan & Implement D-Bug Planning Effort –Un-merchantable acres Copeland Creek Watershed Restoration –Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) –Pine & Oak Health

Implications for this Adaptation Forest Service may be able to enter a new revenue stream for: –Funds to U.S. Treasury Off-set Wildfire costs or other Nat. Emergancy –Receipts to Counties Off-set of Title II Payments to Counties –Knutson-Vandenberg Act (KV) Sale Area Improvement Fund

What is needed to ensure Landscape Projects are viable? Comparable products in the marketplace –Bunker Fuel –Horticultural Charcoal –Others? Develop BioOil/BioChar connections to products –Is the comparison one to one? Continue to follow developing science in Biomass and Soil Productivity Ensure that local contracts are trained and equipped to do this work

Questions Gabe Dumm Cell Jim Archuleta Office